Bengaluru: The tragedy outside the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru, Karnataka, may not have occurred had the government and RCB heeded a plea by the police to hold the celebrations a few days later.
Eleven persons died and 33 were injured in a stampede outside the stadium, where lakhs had gathered to celebrate RCB’s victory at the IPL 2025, on Wednesday evening. RCB lifted the trophy late on Tuesday evening and Bengaluru celebrated till the wee hours of Wednesday.
According to an official, the entire police force were exhausted by 5.30 am on Wednesday. Senior officials had anticipated this and had urged the Karnataka government and RCB to hold the celebrations on Sunday.
This would have helped in two ways. The initial euphoria would have subsided and the police would have time to make better arrangements. Neither the government, not the RCB were ready to listen to reason.
“While it was clear that the government wanted to cash in on this win, the RCB said its foreign players would leave the country by then. We had also urged the government not to hold a procession but a ceremony at a single location. That plea was ignored as well,” a senior police official said.
A government official said that the celebration was held on Wednesday due to popular demand. There may have been protests had the procession not been organised.
The police also blamed officials for carrying out activities without any consultation. According to the official, the Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA) started distributing a limited number of free passes near the stadium gate. Nearly two lakh people had gathered there and everyone rushed forward to get a pass.
The chaos began even before the procession started from the Vidhan Soudha.
